A rare alliance between groups representing trial lawyers and defense counsel is raising constitutional questions and other concerns about legislation that would create a new system of trial and appellate courts for high-dollar business disputes. House Bill 19 appears on track for House floor debate as soon as next week.
Winter Storm Uri Litigation Heating Up at Two Year Mark
The massive legal battle pitting thousands of Texas residents and small business owners against hundreds of energy companies, such as NRG Power, Calpine, Oncor Electric and ExxonMobil, over damages incurred during Winter Storm Uri two years ago is finally heating up. This week’s two-year anniversary of the crippling winter storm also means that the statute of limitations for most Uri-related lawsuits takes effect this week.
Lawyers representing more than 1,500 Texans and businesses have filed more than 80 new wrongful death, personal injury and property damage lawsuits against more than 360 energy companies and ERCOT since last Thursday. Dozens more lawsuits are expected to be filed in Texas courts Wednesday and Thursday.
The Texas Lawbook wrongly reported earlier that CPS Energy had filed for Chapter 11.
Texas Lawbook Foundation Launches, Natalie Posgate to Lead Pro Bono, Public Service and Diversity Coverage in Texas
The daily news is filled with articles about lawyers scoring multimillion-dollar jury verdicts, closing billion-dollar M&A deals or reaping tens-of-millions of dollars in annual firm profits. The Texas Lawbook announces today its commitment to focus significantly more on what is essentially the legal profession’s ESG. From this day forward, The Lawbook has a full-time reporter — Natalie Posgate — doing nothing but researching and writing about pro bono, public service and diversity efforts involving Texas law firms and corporate legal departments. She will publish articles that highlight the successes of Texas lawyers and firm leaders, but also examine where and how the legal profession is failing. Posgate will be the first legal journalist in Texas to write exclusively about pro bono and diversity.